mobile Posted February 26, 2011 Report Share Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) There is currently a thread on the DEFRA consultation on the use of peat HERE. So, I though it would be interesting to see who has gone peat-free and what is being used? I'll start the ball running - I have previously run an experiment in growing VFT in hydroponics and I'm currently running one on Heliamphora hydroponics: Edited February 26, 2011 by mobile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Because of the huge orchid trade here, long-fibre sphagnum moss is cheap and easily available. Peat, not so much. So I have quite a few of my plants in LFSM (finely chopped), pine bark, and sand or perlite mixtures. All my Neps are in peat-free pots, as are a good number of my VFTs, Sarrs and Drosera. Most of the plants are growing fine, though there are sometimes issues with "bad batches" of moss giving rise to slime that can overwhelm seedlings, etc. This is less of a problem with the New Zealand batch I'm currently using. (The reason I chop the moss so finely is that plants' roots tend to grow through the long fibres of moss, and I find this can make it difficult during repotting to get all the media off without breaking some roots.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted February 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 All my Neps are in peat-free pots, as are a good number of my VFTs, Sarrs and Drosera. Most of the plants are growing fine, though there are sometimes issues with "bad batches" of moss giving rise to slime that can overwhelm seedlings, etc. This is less of a problem with the New Zealand batch I'm currently using. I don't have many Nepenthes but I have used just NZ Sphagnum moss or mixes of bark, moss etc, with no peat, successfully for this species. p.s. I have a little smile whenever I read your name... I think it's a Scottish thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amar Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 I don't have many Nepenthes but I have used just NZ Sphagnum moss or mixes of bark, moss etc, with no peat, successfully for this species.p.s. I have a little smile whenever I read your name... I think it's a Scottish thing http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=numpty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 (edited) I grow most species in Moorland Gold and perlite mixes (Sarracenia, Drosera, Dionaea, Cephalotus). For Nepenthes, Heliamphora, Darlingtonia and some Drosera (regia, cuneifolia, slackii) I use Sphagnum & perlite Pinguicula usually in house plant compost and perlite (peat free of course!) Edited February 27, 2011 by gardenofeden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 (edited) I have several nepenthes in pure perlite, and some in coco-peat. One nep in coco peat made the leaves turned red, and turned green again when put in perlite, maybe there was too much salt in the cocopeat. Als o many nepenthes in woodland/lawn moss with greaat results. Edited February 27, 2011 by manders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James O'Neill Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Most of my Sarracenia and Nepenthes are in Sphagnum and perlite, as are all of my plants apart from the Drosophyllums (mostly sand mix), Mexican pings (sand and multipurpose), some Utrics (peat/sand mix), and some drosera (peat/sand mix). I try to use as little peat as I can, but since I source it from a local bog where there is small scale peat cutting, I don't feel guilty in any sense when I do use it as I have not done the bog any harm (the peat cutting is wonderful for the local Drosera, they grow on the bare peat, and Utricularia grow in the pools). The peat is also taken from the wooded areas of the bog, so it actually opens up the area to be recolonised by the sphagnum, cranberry, heather, etc. As a result, the bog has a very great biodiversity, including some very rare butterflies and moths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 I ran a small successful trial with Moorland Gold last year on my Cephalotus. I will be using this from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Moorland Gold can't really count as peat free, because it is peat. Does anyone know how this would be affected if the use of peat is phased out or banned ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartF Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 I've started cultivating sphagnum, not nearly enough to replace the peat yet, but its getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Moorland Gold can't really count as peat free, because it is peat.Does anyone know how this would be affected if the use of peat is phased out or banned ? don't know, supsect it will be "mined peat" which is phased out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyTopTraps Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Hi Guys, Anyone know much about E-COCO dry briquettes (its always on ebay). Is it any good, I have just repotted my VFTs into a 1:1 mix of this coco peat and perlite and using the same mix for seeds and pullings. On the same point do VFTs or other CPs mind having their medium changed year to year or prefer the same to be maintained? Here is the link to E-COCO, Cheers for any help, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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